Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post
A study by the International Labour Organisation has found that, contrary to common perception, forced labour does not account for the majority of fishery workers in Thailand.
Read the following story to learn more about the findings of the study.
The report on Employment Practices and Working Conditions in Thailand’s Fishing Sector, conducted by the ILO and Chulalongkorn University, was released on September 2.
The study, which was the ILO’s first on the matter, found that 83 percent of respondents worked in the industry willingly.
MOSTLY WILLING
According to the National Fisheries Association of Thailand, 142,845 workers are currently employed by its members.
The study, carried out from May to September last year, found that 17 percent of the 596 fishery workers it interviewed — 306 Myanmar nationals, 241 Cambodians and 49 Thais — were working against their will and were unable to leave because of the threat of penalties. The other 83 percent said they were working by choice.
However, while 94.6 percent of the respondents said they took up the job voluntarily, 5.4 percent stated that they were deceived or coerced into working in the fisheries sector, ILO official Max Tunon said on September 2.
TOUGH JOB
The study found that 53 percent of respondents stayed at sea for less than two weeks at a time, while 17 percent stayed aboard boats for up to six months at a time.
Workers on long-haul boats typically faced longer working hours, while typical rest periods for all workers were less than five hours per 24 hour day. About 26 percent of the respondents said they did not get enough rest.
POOR PAY
The average wage among the respondents was 6,483 baht a month. Around 63 percent of them were paid monthly, while 12 percent — mostly workers on long-haul trawlers — were paid upon the completion of each voyage.
While the survey found 33 children under the age of 18 illegally working on fishing vessels and some other serious abuses such as threats of violence, the study concluded that forced labour was not a main feature of the Thai fishing industry.
Exercises
Read the story. Then, decide whether the following statements are true or false.
1. According to the survey, 94.6 percent of the respondents said they were forced to work in the fishery industry.
…………………………..
2. The survey found that 33 workers above the age of 18 were working on fishing vessels.
…………………………..
3. The survey was conducted by the Department of Health.
…………………………..
4. The study was released on September 2.
…………………………..
Vocabulary
- fishy (adj): that makes you suspicious because it seems dishonest
contrary (adj): different from something
perception (n): an idea, belief or image you have as a result of how you see or understand something
fishery (n): the business or industry of catching fish
penalty (n): a punishment for breaking a law, rule or contract
